Halestorm, Shinedown and Alter Bridge

AlexHunter

Saw all 3 of these last night in Cardiff with a few thousand other people.

Halestorm - good opening act, got the crowd involved from the off, how Lzzy Hale hits some of those notes is mind-boggling. Even in a 30 minute set they managed to fit in a drum solo that was actually entertaining.... really.

Shinedown - tightest and best sounding band of the night, don't know if the sound man just found it a much easier job with only one guitar. I'd almost completely forgotten them having not to listened to them for 10 years or so but they were seriously good. Brent Smith's vocals were relentless, didn't miss a note or do anything half-arsed throughout the set.

Alter Bridge - they were slick, consummate pros but they just seemed a little dull and lacking in energy. Mark Tremonti's various amp rig - Bludotone, Mesa, Bogner, Cornford and Fender sounded like a wasp in a tin can. Shrill, buzzy, didn't cut through the mix at all. Conversely Myles with a PRS Custom and a Diezel amp (one on, one for backup) had a stonkingly good sound and seemed to be the more melodic guitarist.